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3 Cape Town Accommodation Styles

May 4th 2017 | South Africa, Travel | by Charlotte Opperman

One of Southern Africa’s most cosmopolitan cities, Cape Town is a lovely mix of colonial buildings, modern architecture, beautiful public gardens, eclectic cuisine and a Mediterranean climate. It’s scenically stunning too – the views from Table Mountain over the rugged cape coastline and the waterfront district are truly spectacular. Like almost every other city in the world it has its fair share of anonymous three and four star hotels, but dig a little deeper and you’ll find some absolute gems here. Broadly speaking you can categorise accommodation styles into three types.

Guesthouses

Don’t be put off by the name – these South African properties are much more like small boutique hotels than a traditional British guesthouse. You can find stately Victorian townhouses like Welgelegen transformed into cozy B&Bs, or modern premises like An African Villa. At the top end are little hotels like Kensington Place and Cape Cadogan complete with romantic courtyards and plunge pools. Whether owner run or hosted by friendly staff you’ll find locals who delight in recommending top restaurants, shopping spots or day tours which really enrich a stay here. Rates start from £150 per night including breakfast at Welgelegen Guest House.

Luxury Hotel

Among luxury hotels is the elegant Cape Grace which, with its prime Victoria & Alfred Waterfront location, is a real Cape Town favourite. Service at this 122 room hotel is outstanding and it’s a lovely spot for families. If a more intimate setting is on your list then Ellerman House should appeal. This luxury boutique hotel, a member of the Relais & Chateaux group, has just 11 rooms and enjoys a spectacular location perched on a cliff above Bantry Bay.

One&Only Cape Town is a contemporary spot in the heart of the action with breath taking views, celebrated chefs and an excellent spa.

Art lovers will enjoy The Silo Hotel, an extraordinary new hotel built in the grain elevator portion of an historic grain silo complex. Beneath the modern six-floor hotel is the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa. For a great spot right on the beach The Bay Hotel is a good choice – just a short stroll from fashionable restaurants and shops it’s been welcoming guests to this glitzy part of town since 1997. Rooms at the Cape Grace are from £500 per night including breakfast.

Self catering apartments

Newer to the Cape Town scene is a range of luxury serviced accommodation, perfect for those who’d prefer to be independent or stay a little longer in the city. Many, like African Elite Apartments, overlook the waterfront, while others, like More Quarters on Kloof Street, are perfectly placed for vibrant nightlife and a great range of restaurants.

Icon Villas are a range of sea view self catering properties. Prices at African Elite Apartments start from £200 with breakfast per night for a one bedroom apartment with kitchenette and lounge.

Any questions?

If you’ve got this far and not found a recommendation that we should have included, please let us know in the comments section below, or pop us an email. We’ll be sure to read your thoughts and may amend the article.

What next?

We would be delighted to help you plan a holiday, or answer any questions if you’re at an earlier stage. Our team of experts have travelled widely throughout Africa. They can offer expert advice on every type of safari from family and beach holidays to riding and primate safaris. If you would like to talk to someone who has been there and done it, please just send us an email or give us a call.

More about the Author

Charlotte arrived at Aardvark Safaris as the fourth employee when the company was just a year old. Fifteen years on she still thanks her lucky stars that the day she decided to return to work coincided with Aardvark’s advertisement in the local newspaper.

Charlotte arrived at Aardvark Safaris as the fourth employee when the company was just a year old. Fifteen years on she still thanks her lucky stars that the day she decided to return to work coincided with Aardvark’s advertisement in the local newspaper. Her degree in town planning has little relevance to safaris, but her pre-children career in PR and marketing, including an exciting stint working in Hong Kong, has been put to good use in Aardvark’s marketing department.

A keen horsewoman Charlotte rides and competes regularly. This year’s equestrian challenge has been learning to ride side saddle – she’s now reasonably accomplished and able to hold her own competing against those riding astride. Away from horses, she enjoys tennis and skiing and spends a fair amount of time keeping (trying to) her teenage sons in order.

She first visited Africa on honeymoon in Kenya, when a love of Africa (and hopefully her husband) was born. She has since visited Botswana, Namibia and the Seychelles. Charlotte has also tested a number of our trips with her husband and aforementioned teenagers. So far they have sampled Mauritius, South Africa (twice), Kenya, Zambia and Malawi so she is a great person to talk to if wanting to travel to Africa with children. Her desire for comfort in unspoilt surroundings makes her a good yardstick when planning a safari for many of our clients. Her close attention to detail ensures our clients never leave home unprepared.

Favourite African experience

Has to be my very first educational trip with Aardvark which was a mobile camping safari in the Okavango Delta. I’d foolishly claimed that camping wasn’t my thing when I first arrived in the office so sending me on this utterly wonderful mobile trip was the perfect way to prove me wrong. Uncharted Africa run the Rolls Royce of mobile camping safaris, with huge tents, cast iron beds, proper linen, glorious food and a drinks cabinet to rival any you’d find in a five star hotel. The guiding was superb, the wildlife prolific and I came back completely hooked.

Favourite animal

Nothing beats giraffe for the elegant, graceful way they roam the plains – I could watch them for hours. I’ve been lucky enough to spend a night at Giraffe Manor in Nairobi where these gorgeous creatures poke their heads through the windows to be fed cattle nuts – maybe not true safari, but one of my real African highlights none-the-less.

Favourite three camps

It’s a private house rather than safari camp that is currently top of my favourite list. Chongwe River House which, from the outside, looks similar to something Fred Flintsone might have built, is quite extraordinary. Step inside and you’re transported into a safari wonderland: the beautifully appointed interior opens to a garden and pool deck with views over the river where all manner of game comes to drink. The private boat is great for river cruises, there are picnics on sandy islands amid the Zambezi River, and a private vehicle and guide to explore the park. Fabulous for a family or groups of friends travelling together.

Rekero Camp in the Masai Mara, which has long been an Aardvark favourite, is high up on my personal list too. Our boys, who at the time of my visit were nine and 11, were treated like kings by the Masai guides – they left with bow and arrows, Masai clubs, a smattering of Swahili, and memories that will last a life time.

Ant’s Nest in South Africa was so good we’d booked to return before we left. There’s horse riding, cycling, walking, swimming, and great game – but it’s the other bits that make it so special. The kids squealing with delight as they galloped up and down the grass runway, being given a machete (to their mother’s alarm) and going out to help clear a new road, riding pillion behind owner and guide extraordinaire Ant Baber to check on his Sable herd. I could go on and on, but words will never do justice to this magical lodge.

Most of my time at Aardvark is spent on marketing activities, but when time permits, nothing gives me greater pleasure than organising a family safari. I know from personal experience how wonderful it is to show children this beautiful continent and if you get the trip right, safari is one of the best family holidays ever. As a mother I know what it’s like to worry about the little things – will we be safe, what happens if someone’s ill - and am always happy to chat for as long as it takes to make sure we get exactly the right trip for you.

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